John Calvin Commentary Daniel 4:17

"The sentence is by the decree of the watchers, and the demand by the word of the holy ones; to the intent that the living may know that the Most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will, and setteth up over it the lowest of men." — Daniel 4:17 (ASV)

In this verse, God confirms what he had shown to the king of Babylon by means of a dream. He says, then, that the king was instructed in a certain matter, since it had been so determined before God and his angels. The full meaning is this: Nebuchadnezzar must know that it is impossible to escape the punishment whose image he had seen in the dream.

There is, however, some ambiguity in the words, since interpreters find great difficulty with the second clause; for they say the angels ask the question to provide proof to the king of Babylon, and so that all people may acknowledge the supreme power of the one God. But this seems too forced to me.

As far as the word פתגמא (pethegma) is concerned, it means “word” in Chaldean; but here I think it is properly used for “edict,” as in the first chapter of Esther (Esther 1:20). This is a very suitable meaning, as the edict was proclaimed in the decree so that the “word” or vision might not prove vain and inefficient, since God wished to point out to the king what was already established and determined in heaven.

We now understand the Prophet’s intention. But a new question still remains, because it seems absurd to attribute power and authority to these angels, lest in this way they appear to be equal to God. We know God alone is judge, and therefore it is his specific role to determine what pleases him. If this is transferred to angels, it seems as if it would lessen his supreme authority, because it is not fitting to make them companions of his Majesty.

But we know it is not a new thing in Scripture for God to join angels with himself—not as equals, but as attendants—and to attribute so much honor to them as to condescend to call them into counsel. Therefore, angels are often called God’s counselors. For example, in this passage, they are said to decree together with God—not by their own will or pleasure, as it is said, but because they agree with God’s judgment.

Meanwhile, we must note the double role assigned to them. In the first clause, Daniel has them agree to the decree, and afterwards uses the word demand. And this fits the meaning well enough, because the angels urge God by their prayers to humble all mortals and to exalt himself alone.

Thus, whatever obscures his glory may be brought into order. It is right for angels to constantly desire this, since we know they desire nothing more than for God to be adored by them in alliance with all humanity. But when they see God’s authority diminished by human pride and audacity, they demand that God would bring under his yoke the proud who raise their crests against him.

We now see why Daniel says, this was declared in the decree of the watchers, and was demanded in their speech. As if he were to say, “You have all angels opposed to you, for by one consent and with a strong voice they accuse you before God, because as far as possible you obscure his glory. And God, agreeing to their prayers, has determined to cast you away and to make you an object of contempt and reproach before the whole world. This decree has been signed by all the angels, as if it were common between him and them.”

For by their endorsement and agreement, this might prevail in confirming the confidence of the unbelieving king. Doubtless, God, in his usual manner, adapted the vision to the understanding of a man who was never taught in his law but was only filled with a confused notion of divinity, so that he could not distinguish between God and angels.

Meanwhile, this idea is true: the edict was proclaimed with the united consent and demand of the whole heavenly host, for angels bear with the greatest reluctance whatever takes away from God’s glory, and all the folly of humanity when they wish to draw to themselves the unique attributes of the one God.

This seems to be the genuine meaning. The following sentence flows very suitably: mortals must know God to be a ruler in the kingdoms of men. For Daniel marks the purpose of the demand, since angels desire God’s rights to remain complete and to be entirely unaffected by the ingratitude of humanity.

But people cannot ascribe even the slightest merit to themselves without taking away from God’s praise. Therefore, angels continually ask God to cast down all the proud, and that he will not allow himself to be cheated of his proper rights, but will maintain his own sovereign powers in all their integrity.

This also must be diligently observed: mortals should notice how the Lord reigns in the kingdoms of men. For even the worst of people confess the mighty power of God; they dare not pull him down from his heavenly throne with their blasphemies, but they imagine they can obtain and defend their worldly kingdoms by their own efforts, wealth, or some other means.

Unbelievers, therefore, willingly confine God to heaven, just as Epicurus imagined him to be enjoying his own delights at ease. Therefore, Daniel shows God to be deprived of his rights, unless he is recognized as a ruler in the kingdoms of men,—that is, on earth, to humble all whom he pleases.

So also it is said in the Psalms: Power springs not from either the east or the west, but from heaven (Psalms 75:7); and elsewhere, God raises the poor out of the mire (Psalms 113:6). Then in the sacred Canticle of the Virgin: he casts down the proud from their seat, and exalts the abject and the humble (Luke 1:52).

Indeed, all confess this, but scarcely one in a hundred truly feels in their mind God’s dominion over the earth, and that no one can raise themselves, or remain in any position of honor, since this is the unique gift of God. Because people are persuaded of this with difficulty, Daniel eloquently expresses it: the Lord shall be lofty in the kingdoms of men; that is, he shall not only exercise his power in heaven but also govern the human race and assign to everyone their own rank and position.

He will give it to whomever he wills. He speaks of different empires in the singular number, just as if God had said that some are raised up by God’s will and others are cast down, and everything happens according to God’s pleasure.

The meaning is this: everyone has their own condition divinely assigned to them. Thus, a person’s ambition, skill, prudence, wealth, or the help of others do not benefit people in aspiring to any high position, unless God raises them by his outstretched hand. Paul also teaches the same thing in other words: there is no power but from God (Romans 13:1), and afterwards Daniel often repeats the same sentiment.

He adds, he raises up the humble man above himself. In such a remarkable change as this, God’s power shines forth more clearly when he raises from the dust those who were formerly obscure and contemptible, and even sets them above kings. When this happens, worldly people say that God is playing with them and rolls people about like balls in his hand, which are first tossed upwards and then thrown down upon the ground.

But they do not consider the reason why God, by clear demonstrations, wishes to show how we are under his absolute power, on which our condition entirely depends. When we do not comprehend this on our own, examples are necessarily set before us by which we are compelled to perceive what almost everyone is willingly ignorant of.

We now understand the Prophet’s entire intention. Angels ask God through continual prayers to declare his own power to mortals, and thus to bring low the proud who think they excel by their own power and effort, or else by chance, or by the help of others.

To prompt God to punish people for their sacrilegious acts, the angels desire him to bring them low, and thus to show himself to be not only the king and ruler of heaven but also of earth. Now, this not only happens in the case of a single king, but we know history is full of such examples.

From where, then, or from what social order have kings often been created? And when there was no greater pride in the world than in the Roman Empire, we see what happened. For God brought forward certain monstrous figures who caused the greatest astonishment among the Greeks and all the Orientals, the Spaniards, Italians, and Gauls, for nothing was more monstrous than some of the emperors.

Then their origin was often very low and shameful, and God could not show more clearly that their empires were not transferred by human will, nor even acquired by valor, strategy, and powerful troops, but remained under his own hand to bestow upon whomever he pleased. Let us continue.